Spam:Can't I go on vacation? No...FBI

smoking..

Its the simple american affiliation of looking for so called "smoking guns" all the time, but level of critical thinking shown by some people here is more astounding. "Get a woman because i do not want to be suspicious". Next time a terrorist simply have to get a woman along to fall out of authorities radar. Very smart. BTW How does Mumbai having third degree tortures etc, is relevant to this discussion?

Civil liberties are to be defended otherwise it does not take a lot to create third degree tortures like abu-gharib and gunatanamo in US main-land too. Special registration was a step in that direction, not very far from Japanese camps.
 
Here is something I believe is the corner stone of all civil liberty fights and the reason why we should never let any one impinge on our freedom (A little over the top you might think, but very apt if you understand it for what it is worth.):
“First they came for the Gypsies, and I didn't speak up, because I wasn't a Gypsy. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak up, because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn't speak up, because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me, and by that time, there was no one left to speak up for me.”

The concept is that inspite of someone being slightly different from you, you should still show solidarity. Those 5 desi's in a corolla, if you don't stand up for them now, the next time they come it will be for desi's in BMW's. Then it is desi's with accents. Where will it stop?
 
Man made laws and humanitarian laws....

Are u a female : Yes I am
Are u a Muslim : Yes I am
Are u a Desi : Yes I am
Are u breaking the law : Yes I am

If an FBI is going to ask me these questions, these would be my reply.

Some details that will shed some light. I am a qualified MBA with 6 years of Managerial experience living on an H4 with my two US citizen kids. I am not allowed to work as per the laws of US. I am not working. Its hard to get an H1 for my field. Also I get time (think as a break from my career) to spend time with my kids.

My H4 has gone for renewal and I don't have a gc and my driver's license has expired. They are not going to give me one till the H4 papers are cleared. They won't accept H4 pending receipt. Do I drive ? Yes I do. This is the law I am breaking. I have to take my kids to school. My explaination to this situation. I don't drink and drive. I drive safely. We have one car (can't buy another because of job surety ) Come rain or shine I drive two sleeping kids in the morning to the bus stop from where my husband can catch a bus to his job. And pick him up again in evening. Here I don't care about Man made laws. It is a hindrance to me and I am not harming anybody here.


I am proud to be a Desi. No matter where I choose to stay for career or other reason. I love my birth country, India. NOBODY can take that feeling away from me. I always cheer for my Indian cricket team.

I am proud to be a Muslim, because that is the religion that I want to follow. That is going to be my way of life. NOBODY can take that right away from me. I am married to a Hindu and he follows his way of life. NOBODY is going to that right away from him.

Talk about racism...I have been discriminated for being a female, for being a muslim, everywhere in my own country as well over here. Some of my own country men refuse to drink water at my place because I am Muslim. But do I let these things get me mad. NO WAY. I do no harm I don't enforce my things on any one. I follow the laws so long as they don't take away my basic rights.

Moral of the story : Follow the rules. Rules are made to make life easier not difficult.
 
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Agree with desi-bartender

When in Rome try to be a Roman and not a gujju, gulti or punjabi.

You don't have to change completely and be pseudo. But try to imbibe some of the basic mannerisms, dress sense and accent. These changes will not make you stand out in the crowd. I have seen so many desis who think they are still in their gallis and adamant at not changing. Changing and learning are full time jobs. If you don't do either, you probably are missing a lot in your life. :D :D
 
desi-bartender said:
Dude. The point I am making is that you can take as many pictures as you
want when there is everybody taking pictures. LA downtown is no problem.
And neither is LAX.
Click to expand...

FYI, LA Terminal is not LAX, but the ship harbor near Long Beach.


desi-bartender said:
What makes us look like terrorists and what doesn't. Having a woman on
your side makes that risk go away almost instantly. Unless you are Mossad
you won't easily judge a man with a woman as terrorist risk. My point to
desi bachelors is that do include women on your trip if you can.
Click to expand...

I don't think Mossad thinks the way you think. Especially when in last few years there are significant numbers women suicide-bombers.


desi-bartender said:
And be a little discreet in your photographic ventures.
Click to expand...

Never did that, never do that, will never do that. Thanks for advice and showing concern anyway.


desi-bartender said:
Just be smart, look smart and beat the streotype and you will be fine.
Its the post 9/11 world and its different. We gotta make some effort
to not look like terrorists.
Click to expand...

How does a terrorist look exactly? With turban and beard (like Bin Laden)? With digital camera and cellphone? Four/five young males who travel together?
9/11 terrorists did not fit any of the above. They checked into airport saparately - not together. They were clean-saven. They used go to bar/stripbars regularly. They tried to look like (and did look like) regular guys in the crowd.
Isn't the same thing you are recommending to all desi guys, dude?
 
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Pralay,
Dude. I said unless you are Mossad you won't suspect a man with woman
as terrorist. I am saying in this country your risk factor goes down. If you
are in Israel its completely different story.

Its not what the actual 9/11 terrorist were that matters. Its the perception
in people's mind. The people here don't no shit. Thats why few sikhs got
murdered.

Many Indians after 9/11 quickly shaved their beards. Sikhs who are so
religious shed turbans and shaved their beards off in order to save
themselves. What were they thinking...They were thinking of survival
and lowering their risk of getting killed. Finally, you use your own judgement.

There are organizations which will fight for your rights. But they are not
going to save you from getting killed or arrested. So it still depends on
you to do the right thing.

All I am saying is that you have to exercise common sense when you
do certain things.

I wrote some software for Indian Military a decade back. Just some routine
database stuff you know. I would visit some of these factories where this
software was installed. A machine gun toting soldier would follow me
everywhere in the factory including when I took a piss. They count every
item you take in there and if you have one missing while coming out you
are arrested. The hardware engineer never said that they have soldering
guns because they would be arrested. And no matter how much I love
photography I would not dare to take a camera even anywhere near that
place or even close to that location. I just used common sense.

Point I am making is there will be situations in life where you need to be
discreet and use your common sense. This situation in US is 9/11. Its
sad and unfortunate but thats the way it is. Things will change but one
must exercise common sense.
 
This topic is going somewhere. I guess Sri has posted this message to let everyone know about his situation and will it be a problem with his 485 and not to take any rubbish advice from desi bartender.
I agree if you are living in another country you should know about the culture, it doesn't mean that u have to follow them. So desi bartender suggests that we'd rather wear pants without belts and 2 size larger than your actual waist line! Not to forget his switching of accent would really help if one does break a law.
So please dont ever think that Indians are crazy and they dont want to change to american lifestyles. The funniest part is he asked us to visit places and take pictures with white g/f. I wonder how many times in that case would i have to visit the paint shop in order to white wash my wife when i go out with her. ( I wonder if this idea ever did strike Mr. Desi-bartender :) ).
So the next time if i went out with my four other friends (white washed ofcourse) would look less of heading on a terrorist mission, i suppose. :D

Taking picture is not a crime and also FBI has all the rights to investigate even if its a false alarm from a ferry clerk as long as ones motive is not towards breaking the law. In Sri's case i dont think it should effect his 485 after all he is only travelling towards living in a country whose security system tries to reach perfection only for its citizens. Mishaps do take place that doesnt mean that you become the soul target to terror. Sri only fell into the hands of mishap and he got out of it too.
 
austin_desi,
My point was that one would less likely to interpreted as threat if one
was with a woman. That white g/f thing was to illustrate that racism
still abounds in this country. If you are with a white g/f you can take pictures
of whatever you wish. Thats what I said. I wouldn't exactly suggest that
you go and get a white g/f. I was suggesting that if possible keep a low
profile. Dunno why that is so hard for people to understand.

I did not say change to American lifestyle. I said just reduce the risk to
you by not standing out of the crowd. My suggestions were to change your
dress style a bit and maybe put on a little accent or do anything that does
not make you stand out from the crowd. Most desis do use accent as a tool
to communicate better with American people. Many desis also resort to
shortening their names or assuming temporary pseudo names for their own
benefits. Like Sameer becomes Sam at Starbucks. So what are you guys
complaining about.

I also said that American have bad dress sense. So you need to be careful
who you emulate. You don't have to emulate some punk. You just need to
dress sensibly following some norms and typical fashions for men in this
country.

Taking pictures is not a crime. But in a post 9/11 world things have changed.
Its well understood fact that terrorist might also try and attack tourist
locations. I mean terrorist would really like to attack statue of liberty. If you
are seen doing something suspicious at such locations you will attract
attention. This is exactly what happenned in this case. So my suggestion
was to exercise caution.

Is this really that difficult to understand what I was saying?

Now that I have been good for most of this post its time to be my unruly
self.

Dude austin_desi, Are you trying to tell me that your a** is so dark that
you might need a whitewash? My god! You are saying the same thing about
your wife? Look, I can suggest some good makeup foundations for you
and your four friends. Might make you look like some white trash. And dude,
if you got a wife why are you going out with your four friends. Thats what
is call criminal neglect of your spouse.

Being more bitchy on the subject. Come on, how many desi dudes here can
actually manage to get a white gf. So who are we kidding.

And when it comes to bad behaviour we desi suck big time.

Just this weekend I had to tell a desi repeatedly to take his 3 year daughter
out of a movie theater because she was making so much noise. His wife
asked me to shut the f**k up. Can you believe that? Everybody around them
repeatedly made noises to make them realize that it was disturbing them.
But did they listen? No. I could cite some more interesting stories. But I think
you guys are not going to like it.

So maybe we should just try to learn a little bit of good things from this
country. There are not very many here. But since you are already here
maybe it pays to learn a few good things. No?
 
Interesting discussion. I don't think anyone can reasonably argue that Desi-Bartender is completely wrong. To an extant he is right in saying you have to behave appropriately for appropriate situations. (I wonder how many desi's roam around with hands on each other's shoulders. Don't think I have seen that in a while).

The only grouse I guess is the question, what is that appropriate situation? Taking pictures on a ferry was that inappropriate? Example: You have two friends who have come over to visit, your wife/girl friend is busy with other things, so you take your friends on a ferry ride. Does that qualify you as a valid terrorist threat? Would that happen to a white man and his two pals? If it doesn't, then that qualifies as a racial profiling. If the white man gets busted the way sri4gc was, then there is no cause for complain.

With regards to noisy kids in a theatre, I was at the local AMC yesterday for 'Hairy' Potter :)p), and there was an African American family in the auditorium making a hellva racket. Only wish Desi-Bartender was around to ask them to take the kids outside. The father weighed about 300 pounds, but the mother, she was a mere slip of a girl at 350! :)

While we are on funny desi stories (allow me to digress), here is one:
Back in school, 5 desi's rented a car for the first time and decided to visit a friend in Chicago. Somewhere around downtown Chicago, they made a left turn on a really wide street (4 lanes of traffic). Surprisingly there was no traffic, but at a distance there was a row of stopped cars facing them. Then suddenly all those cars started moving at pretty high speeds down the road towards the desi car.

Can you imagine the moment? The car was on a freeway going in the wrong direction, the cars coming in the opposite direction on the freeway had actually stopped at a light, they started rolling when the light turned green. :)

Suffice to say that god's name was incanted numerous times. The desi driving the car had some presense of mind and used all 4 lanes to execute a U turn and speed away with the flow this time.
 
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jajabhor said:
I am proud to be a Muslim, because that is the religion that I want to follow. That is going to be my way of life. NOBODY can take that right away from me. I am married to a Hindu and he follows his way of life. NOBODY is going to that right away from him.

Talk about racism...I have been discriminated for being a female, for being a muslim, everywhere in my own country as well over here. Some of my own country men refuse to drink water at my place because I am Muslim. But do I let these things get me mad. NO WAY.
Click to expand...
Funny but we are in the same shoes as you. My wife is a Muslim and I a Hindu. Tell me about discrimination. :( Unfortunately I don't take your attitude as far as this discimination is concerned. I get mad about this situation and make a fuss everytime it happens. It irritates the heck out of me and pisses me off.

Every time we fly my wife who is really petite and doesn't look like she can kill a fly gets marked for additional security. And this I am talking right from the checkin stage. A supervisor is ALWAYS called to override the security restriction, which takes about an hour, then my wife has to go in a separate line for additional inspection, while I, with my hindu name (my wife still has he maiden muslim name) am NEVER stopped. This has gotten to be so bad, that she doesn't even carry a purse with her while going through a security check, instead I carry all the carry on bags, including our laptop, camera's, all sorts of digital equipment. Just because if she carried them, the security check would take that much longer till they check each of those items throughly. Sometimes this causes additional problems, because the question asked is why don't you have anything with you. I am usually done with the security check atleast 15 - 20 mins before her. We can never go an hour or two before the flight leaves, instead have to check in at least 3 hours prior to the departure time because of this issue. We almost missed our flight to France a couple of months ago because of this bloody additional security.

If my wife din't enjoy travelling so much, I would pretty much stop travelling. This always puts a damper on our holidays because I always brood on this bit of discrimination. It is so funny that people who claim to be absolutely liberal and anti-discriminatory are the ones who are the meanest.
 
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desi-bartender,
The way you expressed your comments here was so rude and nobody liked youe behaviour in this forum. So many americans need to learn good things from indian too, so dont forgot that. If you live in america it doesn't mean that you have to abuse indians this way.
There is a way to express your comments here without hurting others. Before you can comment people learn what you dont know about writting comments without hurting.
Dont you think that the following statement was hurting.

( I am surprised that this FBI guy didn't put you in jail. If it was
Mumbai, you would be locked up in jail under TADA and then you would
have been subjected to third degree for a night before your lawyer even
got to you. In case you need full details about Third degree in a Mumbai
lockup please do sure let me know your emails here. I would be glad to
educate you on the matter.)

Please finish your course and educate others.( Sri did not ask you abt the mumbai lockup details rather wanted to know was it any problem towards his GC due to FBI issues)

Dude austin_desi, Are you trying to tell me that your a** is so dark that
you might need a whitewash? My god! You are saying the same thing about
your wife? Look, I can suggest some good makeup foundations for you
and your four friends. Might make you look like some white trash. And dude,
if you got a wife why are you going out with your four friends. Thats what
is call criminal neglect of your spouse.

I dont wanna comment for this here because people think no difference between desi bartender and austin desi.
 
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intersting post , wonder how do u guys this much of time on sundays to disscuss/battle . But i feel the FBI guy was just doing the job and the guy at Ferry jumped the gun. He might hv reported you as false alarm byt now . These are rules of this country and u hv to live with it specially after 911. May if u happen to notice the ferry guy comming to your office you can call someone too that u feel his intensions are not right You have that right.

5 desi in Corola , women partner , Latest gadgets :D :D LOL LOL You really cracked me DESI up. I can add something to it women with a kid/kids.

140 .. Can't help it i guess if we have to live in this country. they even scan 2 yr old boy sandals.
 
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140_takes_4ever said:
While we are on funny desi stories (allow me to digress), here is one:
Back in school, 5 desi's rented a car for the first time and decided to visit a friend in Chicago. Somewhere around downtown Chicago, they made a left turn on a really wide street (4 lanes of traffic). Surprisingly there was no traffic, but at a distance there was a row of stopped cars facing them. Then suddenly all those cars started moving at pretty high speeds down the road towards the desi car.

Can you imagine the moment? The car was on a freeway going in the wrong direction, the cars coming in the opposite direction on the freeway had actually stopped at a light, they started rolling when the light turned green. .
Click to expand...

Actually one desi person I know who took left turn and drove in wrong side of street in driving test. Fortunately there was not opposite traffic. After test, the examiner looked very upset and asked him "you are from India, right?" and passed him for test.
 
Desi bartender,

I just cannt resist replying to your preposterous statement. although i believe in free speach however, i think you have wonderfully demontrated a true talent of asspeaker.

asspeaker = one who speak out of his ass that he doesnt realize he has a mouth.

Now back to your questions...and my comments....



desi-bartender said:
austin_desi,
Being more bitchy on the subject. Come on, how many desi dudes here can
actually manage to get a white gf. So who are we kidding.
Click to expand...

if you dont have one or never had...dont feel inferiority complex....

desi-bartender said:
Many Indians after 9/11 quickly shaved their beards. Sikhs who are so
religious shed turbans and shaved their beards off in order to save
themselves. What were they thinking...They were thinking of survival
and lowering their risk of getting killed. Finally, you use your own judgement.
Click to expand...

No i have not come accross....who have done soley coz of 9/11...the one who are religious will stand up to their believes no matter what.... a lot of sikhs have been victim of post 9/11 and have maintain their rights and dignity...


desi-bartender said:
Like, going to Pentagon and asking
them if I could have a tour of the facility. I then took some pictures of the
Pentagon bldg when they said there are no freakin tours. . There is one
of a marine holding a machine gun at the facility. The marine thought that
was pretty amusing.
Click to expand...

I can imagine you doing that....the only reason marine didnt put the bullet in you coz he thout you were truly insane...and just got his fun for the moment....

desi-bartender said:
Everytime I look out the window I see five desi dudes in a corolla. That
makes you look like you are on some terrorist mission. And for chris sakes
stop being obsessed over those digital cameras and camcorders. Just because
you bought a 50 Mega Pixel camera does not mean you must take picture
of every goddamn thing that you see in your sight. And if you do, then
don't come and lament on this forum that you can't take a vacation in this
country.
Click to expand...

i dont even wannna talk about this :D :D .how many beemer or mercedez did you bought to blend in... ???

desi-bartender said:
You know. I am surprised that this FBI guy didn't put you in jail. If it was
Mumbai, you would be locked up in jail under TADA and then you would
have been subjected to third degree for a night before your lawyer even
got to you. In case you need full details about Third degree in a Mumbai
lockup please do sure let me know your emails here. I would be glad to
educate you on the matter.
Click to expand...

i think the FBI guy was not as smart as you....

desi-bartender said:
This may make me look like snooty bastard which actually I am but I am
sure you agree that I am speaking the truth.
Click to expand...

cannot agree more...you are getting there....self reliatiozation is very important....

desi-bartender said:
And for godsake just throw in some American accent. Is it just so hard?
I use that a lot with Americans and just switch to my native when I am
talking with Indians.
Click to expand...

i think one of these days someone should drop you in a getto in bronx you will get all the american accent you need...for few life times...
 
Oh i forgot to mention in my earlier post about checks , Normally all airlines have frequent travellers and they at times do't get to go through detailed security inspections. But i but tickets at chep prices so we always have to go through those inspections along with my family. Then i though of Payback , After my vaction i always put my my kids most stinky / dirty clothes on top of my hand carries. They open it up one or two seconds and they close it . :p
 
ghost-rider said:
Oh i forgot to mention in my earlier post about checks , Normally all airlines have frequent travellers and they at times do't get to go through detailed security inspections.
Click to expand...
ghost-rider,

My wife used to be a consultant, she travelled atleast twice a week on full fare tickets due to its flexibilty, she is a super frequent flyer. Besides, I can understand a securtity check once, maybe twice, but everytime we fly? And that too only for her and not me? C'mon there has to be something a little more fishy than mere coincidence.

pralay,

That DMV story is similar to what happened to a friend of mine. He was asked to make a left (the yield on green thing), my friend coming fresh of the boat gunned the engine and ploughed into the oncoming traffic. :) Luckily there was no accident. But I am sure it shook the examiner pretty badly to see the cars coming right at her, she screamed loudly, asked him to park on the side of the street, got out and walked back to the DMV! :) She failed him big time!

My own DMV story is quite funny. I borrowed my friend's car to give the test. This was a really old car and was rusted pretty badly. So the examiner walks all around the car, makes sure the lights are working, the indicators work okay and the horn works. She gets in and when she puts her legs into the car, her legs sink through the floor. The bloody car was so badly rusted that the only thing keeping the passenger's feet from hitting the road was the carpet. :) The examiner has this zonked look on her face and says "if this was a criteria for deeming a car ineligbile to take a test in, you would be on your way home already"! :) But she was a pretty good sport about it. Straddled the hole and started the test. (It was a pretty short test I can tell you). I am sure this is one of the stories she will tell others over dinner if the conversation moves to desi's!
 
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140_takes_4ever,

ghost-rider will happily send his kids most stinky / dirty clothes - if that can help her. :D But first ask her opinion on the issue.

He is INS se dukhi Insaan and security guys are ghost-rider se dukhi aur pareshan.
 
Interesting views. :rolleyes: Here's another one: Plastic cirugy+gender-change operation and you-re good to go!! No more security checks and you can take al the pictures/video you want (with or without a girlfriend).
Maybe a rear-lift in the process!!! :D
 
desi-bartender,

With white gf add one more thing - if FBI stops you - tell them I am also FBI - Fem**e Bod* Inspe*tor and that she is under arrest. ;) They will be taken aback.

On the serious side - I agree with your posts.
 
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